Spice of Life: Slow down, there is music to be heard

With teaching get leaner amid the approaching exam season, we had time on our hands. So, sitting in the staffroom, we chatted for hours on end. The talks ranged from general parenting suggestions to individual experiences with offsprings, to what-if-we-exchanged-our-places. The result was an afternoon filled with conversations that provided food for the soul and calm for the mind, writes Reema Bansal

Some days are soothingly beautiful, and that too, without any extra effort. Recently, we were blessed with such a day.

While there are always woes and worries bombarding one’s mind, relishing such day-to-day mundane-ness creates potential for finding exuberance in unfilled hours.  (Shutterstock)

It was a warm November afternoon, made brighter by my charming workplace friends.

With teaching get leaner amid the approaching exam season, we had time on our hands. So, sitting in the staffroom, we chatted for hours on end. The talks ranged from general parenting suggestions to individual experiences with offsprings, to what-if-we-exchanged-our-places.

The result was an afternoon filled with conversations that provided food for the soul and calm for the mind.

While there are always woes and worries bombarding one’s mind, relishing such day-to-day mundane-ness creates potential for finding exuberance in unfilled hours. The spirit being reflected in the words of American author and producer Fred Rogers: ‘It seems to me that some of us value information over wonder, and noise over silence. And I feel we need more wonder and silence in our lives.’

So, while there’s an undying mind chatter about pending life tasks and targets, I allowed myself to be in the moment. I didn’t turn away from my sorrows and embraced the doubts. For they will always be there. The trick is to continue and proceed anyway.

I have a dear cousin with whom I used to exchange letters throughout childhood. When we revived the tradition about two years ago, I wrote to her that I had nothing new or exciting to share. Her loving admonishment came as music to my ears: ‘Letters don’t have to be content heavy, silly!”

Like a symphony, each persona of friends and one’s tribe strikes a chord and keeps the spirit alive. Social intermingling transports existence to a new level, suddenly making a lot of things worthwhile. I have been blessed with amazing friends throughout. And I was advised by well-meaning elders to have friends at the workplace, too. We work to make a living, but in today’s busy lives, having a life beyond workplace can be daunting sometimes. So striking rapport and camaraderie with fellow-workers is now both a necessity and a luxury. Additional benefits: increased job-satisfaction and endless laughter-filled moments.

To help ourselves to savour all these glees, a few conscious efforts should be well in line:

Breathe: Focus. Inhale. Maintain focus. Exhale. Repeat. Mindful breathing has potential to simultaneously ground and liberate us.

Selflessness: Think of the larger picture, the larger good, or simply outside oneself. We are so obsessed with ourselves that it can be tiring for our brains. So, think of the person who opens the door at your office every day, the blooming flowers, the benefits of genuineness – anything but yourself.

Indulge the senses: Smell a lovely perfume, watch kids playing, rub a comforting lotion, listen to your favourite song and once in a while, have a gulaab jamun. With constant bombardment, I feel our senses must be feeling irritated; so purposefully provide rest and pleasure to them.

Take intentional time-offs: We all need a recharge every now and then, just like the gadgets we use. Introduce mental and physical breaks into the lifestyle.

Ultimately, this quest for living in the moment will always be somewhat like a journey. One won’t become perfect, but one must keep striving.

The writer is a Jagadhri-based freelance contributor and can be reached at reemaban@gmail.com